Only One Crucio: Part One of Unknown Allies
by SavageLogic
Summary: Set during Order Of The Phoenix after Christmas, Hermione is settling in for a weekend in the library when she overhears two Slytherin's talking about their summer and what she hears changes the way she thinks about the Children of Death Eaters forever. AU, Hints of Dramione


**Heya Cuties! This is Part One of a Three part series starring our lovely Harry Potter characters, Mosty Hermione. Enjoy!**

 **Part One:**

 **Only One Crucio.**

Hermione walked very slowly across the huge bookshelf's, looking for a book she hadn't read yet to enjoy while Harry and Ron were practicing Quidditch, she sighed. _I've read all of these already_ , _oh well, next bookshelf._

As she walked along the busy haired witch heard quiet murmuring close by through the bookshelf. Not meaning to pry Hermione started moving away before she caught a few words of their conversation. "-Dark Lord Is-"

She froze. _What student is talking about him?! I Have to investigate, they called him the Dark Lord, This can't be good._ Hermione crept closer to the bookshelf separating her and this mystery person, and whoever they were talking to. She finally could glimpse white-blond hair on top of pale skin and she frowned. _Of course it's Malfoy._ Hermione peeked again quickly to see the person Malfoy was talking to was Theodore Nott. Both of their fathers are Death Eaters.

"...Really?" Nott asked Malfoy. The pale boy must've giving him a look for Nott sighed loudly. "Well then, that means more trouble for us. Especially you. ...Is Narcissa okay?"

Hermione heard a quiet thump and moan of what sounded like fear and regret, she looked and saw that Malfoy's Head was in his hands, running then through his hair. "Mother is scared. The Dark Lord is living In our house! She has a right to be scared, especially because she's never taken the dark mark. I don't know what she thinks of this.."

Hermione put her hand up to her mouth. Holding in a gasp. _He's living at Malfoy Manor?!_

"Yeah well, send her my best." Nott said. There was nothing for a minute and then, "So... how many you'd get?"

Hermione winced at the pure pain in his voice, her mind racing. _What is he talking about? This is so strange! Malfoy seems completely different and from what I've seen of Nott He isn't like this either! They both sound so... regretful._

Malfoy sighed again. "You first Theo."

"Stupid Malfoy pride. Wanting to know if I got more huh?" Nott laughed coldly, zero humor in it. "Well, for your information I got five around the same as normal."

Hermione froze. And then, "I only got one Crucio." Malfoy said quietly.

Nott chuckled sadly. "Carful Draco. Your mask is slipping." Hermione peeked around again to see Malfoy shaking his head and rubbing his eyes. "Much better." Nott said sarcastically.

The bushy haired girl narrowed her eyes. Going over everything they had just said. _Only one Crucio..._ _ **Only**_ _one Crucio. Only_ _ **one**_ _Crucio. Only one_ _ **Crucio.**_

Hermione was very confused, her mind couldn't wrap around these two people that seemed completely different. _They are talking like they get Cru- ...Crucios every day, that is torture. The Nott boy, he's always looked raggedy but I never thought he was going through something like that. And Malfoy... What is it like at his home? With the only other people death eaters, Voldemort and his horrible person of a father. How much do they take out their sick pleasure on him?_

Her thoughts were interrupted as the two continued their conversation. "Did your father tell you what happened at the meeting?" Malfoy asked.

"Not really. He just told me big things are coming and I needed to be ready, I tried to find out what was going on but I couldn't, He Uh... he caught me." Hermione flinched, guessing that had rewarded Theodore one of... them.

Malfoy made a sound that sounded like a laugh but sympathy mixed in.

Hermione suddenly heard a noice and on instinct and fear she placed a disillusionment charm on herself.

Soft footsteps sounded closer as the boys stopped talking, now with the disillusionment charm on Hermione walked around the bookshelves to get a closer look. The Parkinson girl was walking up to them.

"Hey Draco!" Pansy flashed him a overly flirty smile and only noticed Nott when he cleared his throat, an amused look on his face. "Nott." She greeted him distastefully.

Malfoy nodded at her stiffly. "Pansy, what are you doing here? I didn't think you were the kind of girl to go to the library." The words overall weren't that bad but the coldness and flatness of his voice must have offended her for she threw her nose up into the air and stomped away.

Hermione had to stop herself from laughing as Nott did as she slowly crept away from the two.

She found a dark corner out of the library and sat down, going over what she has just overheard.

... _That conversation, it changes so much... Malfoy seemed so sad, even regretful. I should try and find out more, If Malfoy and Nott are not actually on_ _ **His**_ _side then they could even be spy's for the order. But... I don't know yet, I'll just follow them around for a bit._

 _Find out what exactly they want._


End file.
